At least 25 journalists covering protests over election postponement in Senegal were harassed, attacked, tear-gassed and detained by Senegalese police.

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, chronicling various cases of harassment and attack on journalists covering protests elicited by the election postponement in Senegal.

“As Senegalese security forces sought to quell protests on February 9 over the postponement of the presidential election until December 15, CPJ said it “documented at least six incidents in the capital, Dakar, in which at least 20 journalists were physically attacked, briefly detained, targeted with tear gas, or harassed in other ways by police.”

In the statement, Angela Quintal, head of CPJ’s Africa programme in New York, condemned Senegalese police brutalising journalists covering protests.

“Police in Senegal should be working to protect the press, not attacking and throwing tear gas at journalists to prevent them from reporting on political demonstrations. 
“The detention and beating of journalist Absa Hane is a particularly alarming indication of the lengths Senegalese police seem to be willing to go to stop news coverage they do not like,” Ms Quintal said.

The attack unleashed on journalists covering protests in Senegal once again raises questions on the safety of journalists in Africa as they go about their legitimate duty during or outside protests. 

Senegal’s President, Macky Sall, who assumed office in 2012 and is at the twilight of his second constitutional tenure that ends on April 2, had unanimously announced the postponement of the election scheduled for February 25th, sparking protests in the country.

With internet access blocked in the country and the military forcing opposition members out of the National Assembly, 105 parliament members ratified Mr Sall’s election postponement. 

However, amid prolonged protests, Senegal’s Constitutional Council, on Thursday, declared Mr Sall’s election postponement unlawful.

Following the apex court’s ruling, Mr Sall on Friday agreed to conduct the election as soon as possible but gave no specific date for the election. 

“The president intends to fully execute the decision of the Constitutional Council,” a statement issued on Friday by Mr Sall’s office said.
 “The head of state will without delay conduct the necessary consultations to organize presidential elections as soon as possible.”